Commentary on Russian adoption ban by Tina Traster will be aired on NPR on Thursday at 8 p.m. on the show "51%". If you want to listen to the essay, the link is http://wamc.org/programs/51-wamc. You can listen live or any other time by going to show number "1229" which is archived on the page
Shutting down American adoption is a hardship for American parents waiting and
wanting to adopt. More importantly it is a human rights abuse on the tiniest of victims. Babies who would otherwise find passage to a better life will languish in orphanages longer. Though Russian officials say they'll adopt to other countries or foster their children, everyone knows the wheels of bureaucracy grind slowly. To
date, adoption of one Russian child to an American family typically takes 18 months. Why lengthen a baby's prison sentence in an orphanage?
It breaks my heart to picture those children who are left behind. I have seen their
faces.
Tina Traster is writing a memoir, due out next year, on Russian adoption. Her website is www.juliaandme.com
